Partiality
by Tamryll
Summary: Elizabeth Swann faces her own dignity and intolerance as she gets to know Mr. Turner for who he truly is. Basically Willabeth and other POTC characters thrown into the P&P universe.
1. Chapter 1

My try at a POTC/Pride & Prejudice crossover. Might be subject to change.

* * *

 _Chapter 1_

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man of trade surely cannot be as accomplished as a man of means with landownership. Mrs. Norrington had been abnormally vocal about this point, and was so again during the afternoon tea, much to Mr. Norrington's discontent.

"Mr. Norrington, have you heard who is moving to Netherfield Park come season?"

Mr. Norrington sank a little deeper into his chair as he was unwilling to answer, but it seemed Mrs. Norrington did not need an answer in order to continue her story.

"Why, a Mr. Turner is coming to Netherfield Park. Rumour has it that he is a man of trade! A man of trade living at so grand a house as Netherfield Park! Can you imagine it?"

"A man of trade, you say?"

"Yes indeed. It is not even clear what kind of trade he is involved in! Certainly something sinister from far away countries, I have no doubt. How else could a man of trade earn enough to let Netherfield Park?"

Mr. Norrington grunted quietly. "You judge before you even get to know the man. Men of trade may well be as well settled and agreeable as landowners might be, my dear."

"Oh surely indeed," said Mrs. Norrington quickly. "But you must admit that a man that works for his own fortune cannot aspire to the manners of a man of society. He simply does not have the time! Mrs. Fidget says that this Mr. Turner earns at least ten thousand a year!"

Mr. Norrington felt his wife's impatient gaze bore into him but chose to ignore it.

"And apparently he is unmarried," she mentioned. "Perhaps our Charlotte might catch his eye."

Mr. Norrington stayed silent once more, knowing that his wife's true intentions would become clear in just a moment.

"Mr. Norrington, you must go make introductions once he arrives!" Mrs. Norrington demanded. "Charlotte and Miss Swann must become acquainted with him before the other ladies of the neighbourhood claim him as their own!"

Mr. Norrington frowned a little. "I understand your need to play matchmaker for Charlotte for she is your daughter, but why should Miss Swann become acquainted with said Mr. Turner? Had you not preferred her for James?"

"Why, of course I prefer her for James, do not be silly," his wife squeaked. "Since she lost her mother she hardly has any acquaintances left, poor girl. No, a ball might do her connections and her mood some good."

"You dote on that girl like she is one of our own," Mr. Norrington noted with a smile, for he too was fond of Miss Swann.

"Well, she's so very fond of our Charlotte and she only has Sir Weatherby for family.. Poor girl is alone so often I'm surprised people still know her in the neighbourhood! Which is why you must visit Mr. Turner the moment he enters Netherfield Park."

"I see no reason why I should visit this Mr. Turner. Send for him yourself and surely he'll invite the whole neighbourhood for a ball at Netherfield if you demand it of him. You can be very persuasive," Mr. Norrington noted as his wife's voice reached new heights of shrillness.

"Think of our Charlotte, Mr. Norrington! Surely you would not have her end up an old spinster? No, that just won't do. She and Miss Swann must get acquainted with this Mr. Turner. Even though he is a man of trade, he might have important connections in London. Mrs. Fidget said that Mr. Fidget's cousin met Mr. Turner once in London and that the young ladies were quite taken by him. Of course, Mr. Fidget tends to overexaggerate, and we mustn't forget that this Mr. Turner is a man of trade."

"It does not matter that he is a man of trade if your venture to make him wed Charlotte falls to pieces before it has even started," Mr. Norrington replied. "My dear, I do hope you see that if both Charlotte and Miss Swann are introduced to this Mr. Turner, he won't pay much attention to our Charlotte? Miss Swann surpasses her both in beauty and manners, and Charlotte has little else that sets her apart."

Mrs. Norrington eyed him with clear dismay. "Mr. Norrington, how you abuse your own child baffles me! If only you'd use the time you spend agitating me more wisely, like finding a proper match for our only daughter!"

"My dear, agitating you is one of my favourite pastimes and I shall not give it up no matter how many young men with fortune move into the neighbourhood."

To his dismay, his wife would not be distracted from the conversation at hand. "It's no problem for Miss Swann to join Charlotte to Mr. Turner's because she is so smitten with our James that she will have no eye for this Mr. Turner," she spoke confidently. "No matter how handsome Mr. Fidget's cousin says this Mr. Turner is, he is no match for our James in his captain uniform."

Mr. Norrington sighed and kept his thoughts to himself. His wife's reluctance to see the truth was both amusing and tiring. He doubted that Miss Swann had any affection for his son, only good manners that had allowed James and Mrs. Norrington to believe she might actually accept his wedding proposal one day. He looked up at his wife who was peering at him with clear impatience.

"Sir Weatherby has assured me that he will allow Miss Swann some freedom in picking her husband. I do suspect that he promised her mother to do so, as it is rather unheard of, don't you think? I remember I didn't have much choice in picking my husband."

"Nor did I in picking my wife," Mr. Norrington muttered quietly.

"Mr. Norrington, have you no affection for our only daughter? Would you not see her settled comfortably at Netherfield Park with more servants and rooms than we shall ever own? And what about me? I try and try to find a suitable match for our Charlotte, but none of it will result in anything if you will not make the proper introductions!"

"Trust me, my dear, I hold very much affection for both you and our Charlotte."

"And yet you will not visit him! He might be a man of trade, but surely he might provide a very comfortable life for our Charlotte. I have my reservations because of his occupation, but at least I won't let them stand in the way of a good chance for Charlotte."

"I have other reservations against this venture," Mr. Norrington sighed. "And don't pretend that his occupation matters to you. You'd visit a simple blacksmith if he was new in the neighbourhood and might provide a decent source of gossip."

With those words Mr. Norrington timed his escape to his personal library, although he did hear the beginnings of his wife's high-pitched tirade before he managed to close the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Elizabeth sat in the Norrington drawing room one of the following evenings, her fingers moving deftly along the black and white keys of the pianoforte. Mr. Norrington and Charlotte listened with great interest, but Mrs. Norrington seemed impatient for her performance to end as she fidgeted with her hands in her lap.

After she struck the final notes, Charlotte and Mr. Norrington clapped politely. Mrs. Norrington gathered a deep breath of air to start her choice of conversation, but Mr. Norrington was too quick.

"Wonderful, Elizabeth. Truly wonderful," he spoke gleefully to Elizabeth. "Your father will be so proud of you when he returns for the assembly."

Elizabeth smiled lightly and rose from the piano seat, strolling slowly around the room. "I hope he will actually stay long enough to attend the assembly with us. I feel like I have not properly seen him in weeks."

"But surely your father will want to make acquaintance with the newly arrived Mr. Turner?" Mr. Norrington asked her.

"I would think so, yes. He would have to be back a few days before the assembly, though, in order to give Mr. Turner a chance to return his visit," Elizabeth replied.

"We can always rely on the good Mrs. Fidget to introduce us to the mysterious Mr. Turner, isn't that right dear?" Mr. Norrington looked at his wife. "Did she and Mr. Fidget not receive Mr. Turner for dinner the other day?"

"Damned be the day that I should rely on Mrs. Fidget for introductions!" Mrs. Norrington said shrilly. "And damned be the day that we finally meet Mr. Turner, for it will be too late, and he will already have set his eyes on someone else's daughter."

"Mamma!" said Charlotte with a gasp, a faint blush creeping to her cheeks.

"It is long time you got settled, my dear. You should be jumping at the chance to meet Mr. Turner and show him you are just as agreeable as all the other young ladies in the neighbourhood."

"Before I show him anything I'd like to see what kind of man Mr. Turner is. Surely you would not have me throw myself at an ill-mannered man, no matter his fortune?" Charlotte objected.

Elizabeth nodded in agreement with her dear friend. Though Charlotte was plain-looking, Elizabeth was glad to see she would not settle for just anyone.

"Of course not, my dear," Mrs. Norrington said quickly. "Mrs. Fidget said he was very agreeable when he came over for dinner, and very handsome too. Now, I do not trust much of what Mrs. Fidget says, but she seemed quite taken with him, and what other reason could she have to speak of him in such a manner? All her daughters are already married!"

Elizabeth exchanged a knowing smile with Charlotte. Mrs. Norrington would always prefer her news through gossip, rather than from the source itself.

"But what of his pursuits and passions, mamma? Surely Mrs. Fidget knows more than just his features?" Charlotte asked.

"Well, she did speak of his fine features for most of her call. She did mention that his trade often has him travelling to London and occasionally abroad, too. She could not tell me exactly what his trade is, but she would not deny that he appeared very worldly. Perhaps that is how he has amassed a fortune large enough to let Netherfield Park."

"Perhaps Mr. Turner appreciates those worldly views more than any fortune they might have brought him. We cannot say until we have made his acquaintance now, can we?" Elizabeth said pointedly.

"Indeed so, Elizabeth, I completely agree," Mr. Norrington added, and Elizabeth thought she saw a rather mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"I grow weary of this talk about Mr. Turner already. At this rate we shall never be introduced to him, not by Mrs. Fidget, not by Mr. Fidget, not by anyone!" Mrs. Norrington complained woefully. "I wish James was back already, I miss him terribly! Don't you miss him, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth kept her face rather composed. "Why of course, Mrs. Norrington. His company would make any room more lively." She chose her words carefully to neither give dismay nor the impression that she was specifically fond of James Norrington. Mrs. Norrington had been set on their match the moment the Swann family had moved into the neighbourhood. Elizabeth had grown fond of James over the years, but she had also gotten to know him for being terribly boring and dreadfully meticulous.

"James will be glad to accompany you to the assembly if your father is indisposed, my dear Elizabeth, I am sure of it," Mrs. Norrington added.

"He'll be glad to meet Mr. Turner too, I am sure," Mr. Norrington said casually.

"Don't be ridiculous Mr. Norrington, how can James get acquainted with Mr. Turner in time before the assembly if they are not introduced? The assembly is in a fortnight, and James won't be back until a few days before it." Mrs. Norrington demanded.

Elizabeth shared another glance with Charlotte before eyeing Mr. Norrington intently.

"He may get acquainted with Mr. Turner as soon as Mr. Turner returns my visit," Mr. Norrington admitted triumphantly. "I expect Mr. Turner, who indeed seemed very agreeable to me, to call on us somewhere in the next few days, I imagine."

Suddenly the drawing room was filled with joyous shouts of praise for Mr. Norrington's venture.

"Dear Mr. Norrington, you do indeed still hold affection for me and our dear Charlotte! I must admit, I was quite aware of your plan all along, but I'll allow you a moment of self-indulgence nevertheless."

Elizabeth stifled a smile and grabbed a nearby book off the table.

"How marvellous, my sweet girls. And how exciting to have such a presence as the mysterious Mr. Turner come to pay us a visit so soon! You mark my words, Charlotte, he shall make a fine husband once he sees how agreeable you are at his visit and the next ball!" Mrs. Norrington exclaimed shrilly, and Elizabeth hoped silently that Mr. Turner's visit would be worth the pain in her ears.


End file.
